Definition Of Dope: The Best Performances And Moments From AfroPunk 2015

August 25, 2015 - 2:17 pm
by
Stacy-Ann Ellis & Shenequa Golding

This year's AfroPunk Fest had folks from all over the color spectrum flooding to Brooklyn's Commodore Barry Park. Here's why it was well worth the ticket.

For many New Yorkers, Brooklyn's annual AfroPunk Fest is a can't-miss event. For two days straight, people local and out of state flocked to Commodore Barry Park to submerge themselves in all facets of black culture.

With an assortment of food stations, live art installations near each stage, merchants selling homemade crafts, activists setting up shop anywhere they could stand and top-notch music acts—rock, hip hop, soul, alt, folk acts and more showcased the black community's diverse palette—all in one spot, nothing was left out. And not to mention all the beautiful, stylish folks using the park as their personal runway.

Even the artists that took the stage like Raury, Kelela, Kelis, Lion Babe, Sam Dew, Thundercat and Lenny Kravitz, to name a few, acknowledged how much of a highlight it was to be performing for such a colorful crowd inside and out. Our sentiments exactly. Flip through and see what we felt were the best on- and off-stage takeaways from AfroPunk 2015.

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Kelela

Music festivals, like most live performances, let you know who really has the talent and who doesn't, and what couldn't be denied was Kelela's voice. After a scheduling mishap which pushed her set back, once she took the stage, sporting a new haircut, the D.C. native placed everyone at ease with her soothing voice and music the singer-scribe told the crowd "puts people in their feelings." Performing some of her more famous cuts as well as previewing new music, Kelela got everyone a little emo at Afropunk... but in a good way.

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Kelis

Kelis had more than just her “Milkshake” to set the crowd off during AfroPunk. In all her fabulosity, the singer-slash-chef emerged onstage after months of low visibility with a sheer pink caftan draped over a very pregnant belly. Kelis was all smiles and dance moves as she went through FOOD and the rest of her diverse catalogue, accepting “Congrats,” “happy belated-birthdays” and “I love yous” from loudly screaming front row fans along the way.

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Lauryn Hill

By the time Lauryn Hill hit the Green Stage, AfroPunk attendees had been waiting on baited breath for about 45 minutes. Once she arrived, however, the energy in Brooklyn's Commodore Barry Park went from zero to 100 real quick. Instead of starting with favorites from her legendary The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, she did a myriad of energetic covers, multitasking as she directed her band and the stage’s sound crew. Before technical issues ended her set, she made sure to lead the crowd in a sing along sesh of “Doo-Wop (That Thing)” and other hits.

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Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz's headlining performance was scheduled to begin at 9:30 and Mr. Kravitz actually took the stage at 9:30, completely earning our vote and the vote of everyone in the crowd who waited all weekend to see him perform. It was a special night for the 51-year-old Brooklyn native as his AfroPunk performance was the first time the seasoned musician performed for his hometown. Kravitz voice sounded immaculate as he opened with new music from his latest album Strut. The crowd was eating out of the palm of Lenny's hand as he performed his hits "American Woman" and "It Ain't Over Till It's Over," Kravitz made sure to feed the fans what they wanted while sprinkling in his newer hits and magnificently ended his night with his hit, "Fly Away" which was the perfect ending to an awesome weekend.

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Lion Babe

A top-notch vocal performance will always reign supreme at a music festival, which is how Jillan Hervey and Lucas Goodman of Lion Babe won over a slew of new fans at AfroPunk. Donning a fierce fro-hawk, a patent leather leotard, thigh high boots and tribal body paint, Hervey commanded the stage as she serenaded the crowd with EP favorites like “Wonder Woman,” “Treat Me Like Fire,” “Jump Hi” and “Jungle Lady.” The duo turned their set into a party by covering a handful of rock songs that had the people jumping in the grass before them.

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Sam Dew

There's always a surprise star at music festivals. Most come to see their favorite artist perform under the atmosphere of relaxation, good vibes and good times, and if you're lucky, you leave having cemented your love for said artist while beginning a new admiration for a new discovery. Chicago-born Sam Dew fits that description. The bearded musician wowed the audience with his vocal prowess and stage presence, hitting high notes with ease. The highlight of his set was when the twenty-something entertainer paid tribute to music icon Bill Withers with his alternative rendition of the classic "Use Me." While many in the audience may have been too young to know the origins of the song, Dew placed his own spin on the single solidifying his artistry. Good looks, Sam.

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SZA

SZA has been in high demand this festival season. After taking the AfroPunk stage last year with dark hair, a newly ginger Solana Rowe tossed her long mane and twirled about the stage while performing fan favorites from her Z EP. As an added treat, she previewed tunes that’ll appear on her full album, A, and even brought out Ab-Soul to help her close her set.

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Thundercat

Rocking his trademark full-length cat, Stephen Bruner proved that musicianship and artistry will always have a place at music festivals. The 30-year-old L.A. native wowed the AfroPunk crowd as he played hits from his latest project The Beyond/Where Giants Roam. The crowd stood in awe at how Thundercat's fingers quickly and smoothly ran up and down the bass. We all got our lives when he performed the hook from "Complexion" off of Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly. Everyone patiently waited to hear him play "Them Changes" and as soon as Thundercat hit those first few notes on his bass, the crowd went wild. If you weren't a believer before, you definitely became one after his set.

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The crowd was totally unfiltered and uncensored.

The outfits during the two-day fest simply spoke for themselves.

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The creative vibes in the crowd were palpable.

And even those who aren't professionally in creative fields allowed their inner artists to flourish in some form or fashion.

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The important matters at hand were not swept under the rug.

From a stable of stations on AfroPunk's Activists Row to solo protestors, a weekend of entertaining acts did not graze over the fact that people of color still have important things (and people) to fight for these days.

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Beauty in every hue was there everywhere you turned.

No matter the race or creed, every shade was represented and embraced at AfroPunk.

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Artists were in on the crowd lovin.'

Jillian Hervey of Lion Babe made her fans' days by partying beside them during Kelis' throwback set.

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Celebratory shenanigans were in full effect.

During Kelis' set, a personal friend came out to present her with a hugh colorful cake to commemorate her birthday, which had passed right before the festival kicked off.

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There was nothing but love to go around.

Love was the central theme of AfroPunk and the reason why people will continue to support the black culture appreciation festival.